ABDO event examines practice of the future

The conference, which will take place in Droitwich Spa from September 25-27, aims to give dispensing opticians the opportunity to view the needs of the future via eight keynote addresses and video displays of new technology and equipment. There will also be an open forum on low vision and dyslexia topics. Speakers at the Chateau Impney venue will include Jennifer Brower who will discuss 'Low vision management in everyday practice', Ian Jordan on 'Management of visual dyslexia', and Paul Surridge, chief executive of Sight Care Services on 'Meeting patient expectations into the millennium'. The conference will also see the launch of the 1999 National Eye Week, with a presentation by the Eyecare Information Service. In an addition, ABDO will reveal its 'Techno Practice 2000', a view of an optical practice in the future which has utilised high-tech equipment. The third and final day of the conference will be set aside for a contact lens continuing education and training day (see below). Tony Garrett, ABDO general secretary said: 'The new-style conference will, thanks to generous sponsorship of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, present a vision of the cutting edge technology that now exists to take optical practices into the next millennium. 'Traditional dispensing topics are not forgotten, with low vision, dispensing for dyslexia, patient expectations and modern lens ordering technology also part of the agenda.' - The contact lens CET seminar at ABDO's conference (September 27) has been awarded seven credits by the College of Optometrists, on the association's behalf. The credits will also count towards the General Optical Council CET in contact lenses scheme (News, June 11). ABDO's own CET scheme for the approval of courses and awarding of credits should be up and running by the year end.